isaac henderson



(No Model.)

J. BARR. THILL. RETAINER.

No. 563,905. Patnted July 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BARR, OF BALTIMORE, HARYLAN D, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-EOURTHS TO G. MILTON HUGHES AND JACOB \VIIEATFIELD, OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 563,905, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed April 25, 1396.

To all 1072 0112, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore,

in the State of Maryland, have invented oertain new and useful Improvements in Thill- Retainers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the class of devices which are designed to automatically attach the thills or shafts of a vehicle to a harness and to retain the same in place, dispensing entirely with the long tugs or traces which are commonly used.

The invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction and to render more efficient and servicable in operation this class of appliances, and to improve upon the construct-ion of thill-retainer for which I was granted Letters Patent No. 460,174 on the 39th of September, 1891.

In my present invention I provide a springbolt for retaining the thill-en gaging member in place, and dispense with the spring-bar secured to the lower side of the t-hill-casting.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the under side of thethill-plate.

Reference being had to the details of the Serial meadows. on model.)

drawings by letter, A designates the thill of a vehicle, to the under face of which is secured a metallic plate 13, which plate is provided with a recess B. hen secured in place, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upper. face of the plate B is fiat against the under face of the thill, and at the rear end of the recess 13' the body of the plate 13 is en tended for a short distance beyond the end wall of the offset, as shown at B for a purpose which will be presently explained.

F is a casting, the bottom F of which has a flanged edge F while the upper portion F of the casting is provided with an upwardlyextended loop G, to which is secured one end of the strap G, the opposite end of which strap is secured to the harness-saddle, and at its outer lower corner the casting F is provided with a depending loop H, to which is secured one end of the girth H, the opposite end of which is attached to a similar loop on the casting upon the opposite thill. At its sides horizontal arms J J are provided, which arms are furnishedat their outer ends with loops J, within which are secured the ends of straps leading to the collar of the harness and to the breeching, respectively. It will be observed that the arms J J are each curved slightlyoutward, as shown at K, so as to avoid contact with the straps and the side faces of the thill.

Slidingly held on the under side of the casting, between the grooved extensions S, is the bolt T, spring-actuated, with its free forward end extending over a portion of the recess in the casting. Nhen it is desired to attach the holder to the thill, the portion F is inserted in the recess, after the spring-actuated bolt is drawn back, and when in place the spring causes the bolt to overlap one of the meeting edges of the casting F and the wall of the recess, and thus securely lock the device to the thill, as will be readily seen and understood.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- In a thill-retainer the combination with the thill, of the plate l3 having its straight fiattencd face secured to the under side of the thill, the said plate being recessed and provided with a projecting" portion 13 of the casting F having a flange F on one edge, and the spring-bolt T mounted in a cross-head formin g a portion of the plate B, the said bolt 1101- lowed out on its under side, a spring carried therein which abuts against a lug 0n the said casting, one end of the said bolt normally projecting over the edge of the said recess and adapted to hold the said casting therein. IO

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN BARR. Vitnesses WVMi ISAAC HENDERSON, TENIE SPARKS. 

